How life has changed in Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire's population increased by about 10,900 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 180,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Carmarthenshire increased by 6.3%, from almost 173,000 to 184,000.

The addition of almost 11,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Carmarthenshire was home to, on average, 0.56 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Carmarthenshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Carmarthenshire increased by three years, from 41 to 44 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than Denbighshire (one of the most statistically similar areas to Carmarthenshire based on ONS area classifications) (44 years of age) and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 6,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 13.0% of people in Carmarthenshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Carmarthenshire fell from 50.1% to 43.9% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

This was the largest decline in the proportion of Welsh speakers of any local authority area in the country. Of the few areas where knowledge of the Welsh language increased, Monmouthshire saw the largest change (from 9.0% to 9.9%).

There are 5,754 fewer people living in Carmarthenshire who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 16,023.

In Ceredigion (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Carmarthenshire), 47.3% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 51.8% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 20.5% to 19.0%.

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was higher than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in rate of employment

Carmarthenshire saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of employed people.

During this period, Carmarthenshire fell below Powys to become the Wales local authority area with the fifth-lowest percentage of employed people.

In 2011, just under one in two (47.6%) people aged 16 to 74 in Carmarthenshire said they were employed, compared with 43.4% in 2001. The percentage that were unemployed increased from 3.4% to 3.7%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of employed people occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 44.4% to 50.2%) followed by Pembrokeshire (from 41.7% to 46.3%).

The rate of employment was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The proportion of households with children fell in Carmarthenshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Isle of Anglesey and Vale of Glamorgan.

Across Wales, the proportion of households with children fell from 30.2% to 28.2% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in nearby Ceredigion fell from 24.9% to 22.8%.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (27.7%) households in Carmarthenshire had at least one dependent child, compared with 29.0% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 60.5% to 61.6%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households with children occurred in Wrexham (from 30.0% to 29.9%) followed by Denbighshire (from 28.2% to 27.2%).

The proportion of households with children was lower than across Wales

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Carmarthenshire

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Carmarthenshire was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.5 points.

In 2011, 31.4% of respondents in Carmarthenshire gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 17.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Wales, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 20.2% to 34.7%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Carmarthenshire, 67.1% said they were Christian, compared with 81.2% in 2001. About 0.6% said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, compared with 0.3% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Muslim increased from 0.2% to 0.4%.

In Carmarthenshire, 8.0% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.1% in 2001. Across Wales, 7.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 8.1% in 2001. Across England, 7.6% of people did not answer, compared with 8.1% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Carmarthenshire increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in Wales, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Carmarthenshire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 13.9% to 8.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (75.2%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 62.4% in 2001. The percentage of Carmarthenshire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23.6% to 16.3%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell faster here than in nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 6.3%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.5% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Carmarthenshire decreased by 5.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The percentage of adults in Carmarthenshire that were married decreased from 53.8% to 49.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.5%) people aged 16 and over said they were single, compared with 25.1% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Carmarthenshire that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10.5% to 11.9%.

The proportion of married people fell at a similar rate to nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 43.0%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 52.0% to 46.7%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Carmarthenshire that rented privately increased from 7.9% to 11.8% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in seven (14.8%) households lived in social housing, compared with 17.1% in 2001. The percentage of Carmarthenshire households that owned their home decreased from 72.3% to 71.5%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 19.9%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 8.6% to 14.1%.

Private renting in Carmarthenshire increased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Carmarthenshire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14.3% to 11.1% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.7% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 12.3%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.0% to 9.3%.

Long hour working in Carmarthenshire decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Wales that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Carmarthenshire, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 6.3% to 8.8% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage that had only one person remained close to 30.0%, while the percentage of households in Carmarthenshire which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 37.3% to 34.0%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased faster here than in nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 9.1%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 7.5% to 9.7%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Carmarthenshire increased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Wales that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Carmarthenshire

The percentage of Carmarthenshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 5.2% to 5.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.4%, while the percentage of Carmarthenshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 87.0%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 4.4%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 4.6% to 5.2%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Carmarthenshire residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.6% to 1.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 3.6%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 1.5%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 1.5% to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Carmarthenshire remained close to 1.9%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire by care, March 2001 and March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links